According to the new rules designed under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) of the European Union, technology giants like Apple and Google could be forced to open up their platforms and services to several other companies and app developers. Under DMA, the messaging apps could require to work with their smaller rival applications, and this legislation will now apply in the United Kingdom due to Brexit.
The DMA will change the rules for large companies and will also influence the gatekeeper companies in the European Union. Under the act, small messaging apps will be able to ask the gatekeeper apps to allow their users to send and receive messages through the platforms of large companies such as Google and Apple.
However, companies like Apple and Google will not be required to make some more advanced features interoperable. Under the new plans, audio and video calls between two users or groups of users on different apps will not happen for four years.
Companies such as Google and Apple might also be required to allow their users to choose different app stores. Margrethe Vestager, commissioner for competition, said that they have invited all potential gatekeeper firms, along with their competitors, to come and talk to them about how to implement the DMA.
